DC or Houston? Cost of Living (Washington: apartment, home, calculator)

[2dc]

I'm considering leaving Philly but am having difficulty making a decision as to where to move. Its come down to DC or Houston,Tx. My only problem with moving to DC would be the cost of living. I won't be making much $30,000 at the most. So is it better to move to Houston or DC? I do have family in Washington but none in Houston, plus DC is only a short distance away from Philadelphia so making trips back home would be a breeze. Also Houston is in Texas...talk about a culture shock. Maybe if I get a second job DC could work out?

[NOVAmtneer82]

Do you know your earnings potential in Houston? If you could make $30,000 there too it would be hard to tell you to move to DC. I absolutely love this area but won't lie and say that it is cheap to live here. Double check into the salaries...USUALLY in DC you will earn more than other cities, enough to make up for living cost differences. Again, not always, but that is usually the case. I agree about the culture shock in TX, that would probably be difficult coming from the Northeast.

Good luck with your decision!

[mettler]

I guess you will have culture shock..not really culture shock, but it is just a different place - you have the same stuff going on; awesome nightlife, tons of sporting events, and lots of arts etc. I am pretty sure Houston is larger than DC, but it is tough to get around - roads going everywhere. They have two loops there..the inner loop(one set of hwys) and an outer loop(another set)..toll roads. They win in the steak dinner category without a doubt. They also have skyscrapers all over the place, and one constant summer with a few hurricanes to add. A really nice park in the middle of the city (Memorial Park?). I'd miss the change of seasons and the mountains.

[Bluefly]

If you're willing to live in a group house, I would recommend DC.

Don't tell any Texans, but Houston is a cultural wasteland compared to DC. I know it has a lot of stuff going on, but it's so suburban.

[mettler]

you also, if you haven't, might want to put this in the Houston forum, and let them bash DC..then, you can weigh your options

[LIS123]

People do it, but living in this area with an annual salary of $30K would not be fun. You'd be stretched so thin, that there would be hardly any money left for discretionary spending. It would be hard enough to cover the necessities.

Salaries here tend to be higher than in places, but I don't think it's truly enough to compensate for the much higher COL. You'd need to make a lot more here than in Houston to have a similar lifestyle. The CNN COL calculator says you'd need to make about 50% higher here in DC than in Houston. I can believe it and wouldn't be surprised if it's even more than that.

[Bluefly]

Well, I lived on $30,000 when I started in DC and was never happier. With so many non-profits, many young people do it.

If you want the house/yard/dog/etc..., then no, you can't do it on that. But ditch the car, live on the Metro, get a little apartment or live in a group house, and love the energy of such an intellectual hub.

[2dc]

Originally Posted by Bluefly

Well, I lived on $30,000 when I started in DC and was never happier. With so many non-profits, many young people do it.

If you want the house/yard/dog/etc..., then no, you can't do it on that. But ditch the car, live on the Metro, get a little apartment or live in a group house, and love the energy of such an intellectual hub.

Yeah that's what I was thinking ditching the car and relying on Metro. My family who lives in DC does it so it can't be that bad. The city has a vibe to it that certainly can't be beat.

[TrippingJay]

I think there was a study a few months back on COL in Houston. Basically, it stated that while housing was cheap, transportation costs are extremely high in Houston, which didn't make it as much of a bargain it otherwise seems.

One advantage DC has is much better public transportation, so if you have a job in the District, it is possible to live without a car in this area.

I would pick whichever city will help advance your career. If you find it hard to live in Dc, you can always move.

[NOVAmtneer82]

I would be more concerned about QUALITY of living than cost of living, that being said different people have different opinions as to what constitutes quality. I'm sure Houston has a lot to offer but there is no way it compares to the cultural amenities of places like DC or Philadelphia. The fact that the OP is from Philadelphia makes it very easy to get home from the DC area. Going home from Houston will involve either an expensive flight or 20+ hours in the car.

I don't know how the salary adjustments work in your field, but I simply just cannot see them offering you the same wages in Houston as DC. I am in the consulting industry and I know for fact that businesses in my field use cost of living calculations to determine pay scale.

My advice would be to give DC a try. If you don't like it, you can always leave and head to Houston or wherever else life takes you.